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Internationalize and Localize Your C/C++ Code with ICU
To paraphrase Jane Austen: "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a successful application in possession of a good customer base must be in want of an internationalization strategy."
All joking aside, internationalization and localization are key parts of the maturation process of an application, whether it is deployed throughout a single enterprise or through a diverse customer base.
The Problem
The history of computing is littered with good ideas for encoding characters from various languages. Even for something as "straightforward" as English, I've had to deal with several different encodings in my career: ASCII, EBCDIC, and FIELDATA. When you expand your domain of interest to Asian languages—for example, Japanese—you find a wide variety of choices, including SJIS and JEUC.
The basic problem is the same "glyph" (or character) has a different representation (coding) depending on your language locale. The Unicode manifesto offers a helpful starting place to avoid the mire of this alphabet soup: "Unicode provides a unique number for every character, no matter what the platform, no matter what the program, no matter what the language."
More or less, this means a unique 16-bit number as opposed to an 8-bit number, though there is a lot more to it than just that. This article looks at how the International Component for Unicode (ICU) library can keep you from being hopelessly mired in the glyph alphabet soup.
ICU: International Component for Unicode
ICU is a mature, portable set of open source C/C++ and Java libraries for Unicode support and software internationalization. (Don't be put off by the fact that IBM provides the funding and support for ICU; it really is an open source initiative in the best sense.) It gives applications the same results on all platforms. Its major features revolve around locale-sensitive string comparison, formatting, text boundary detection, and character set conversion. So, what exactly does ICU offer?
- Text: Unicode text handling, full character properties, and character set conversions (500+ code pages)
- Analysis: Unicode regular expressions, full Unicode sets, and character, word, and line boundaries
- Comparison: Language-sensitive collation and searching
- Transformations: Normalization, upper/lowercase, and script transliterations
- Locales: Comprehensive data and resource bundle architecture (200+ locales)
- Complex Text Layout: Arabic, Hebrew, Indic, and Thai
- Formatting and Parsing: Multi-calendar and time zone, dates, times, numbers, currencies, and messages
Examples in this article require that you download a version of ICU. Although they show code in Win32 environments, rest assured that ICU has precompiled binaries for AIX 5.2, HPUX 11.11, Red Hat Linux 3.0, Solaris 9, and Visual Studio .NET 2003. With source code in hand, you can build your own binaries for these environments plus Mac OS X, Cygwin, MinGW, BSD, QNX, and many other popular platforms. Running the built-in test suite is highly recommended whenever creating your own binaries.
ICU Text Boundary Analysis
Altlthough many people will use ICU just for codeset conversion and localization, both ideas are difficult to demonstrate in a short demo. Instead, this article delves into another useful functionality that ICU provides: text boundary analysis.
Text boundary analysis is the process of locating linguistic indicators when formatting or parsing text. For example, if the user double-clicks into the middle of a word in a word processor, you have to be able to figure out where the word starts and ends to highlight it. Other applications might include automatic capitalization, word counts, or constructing a concordance. The demo shows how a BreakIterator object can solve these problems independent of language encoding. An ICU BreakIterator can locate boundaries of characters, words, line-breaks, and sentences.
To begin, install ICU into a convenient location; this example uses D:\ICU. The Visual Studio .NET 2003 command-line to build the application looks like this:
cl wrap.cpp /EHsc /Z7 /ID:\icu\include /link /LIBPATH:d:\icu\lib icuuc.lib /debug
And, of course, you must placate your old friend, the DOS PATH:
The first thing the demo program will need to do is establish a locale. A "locale" includes information about the user's language, his or her country, and possibly other preferences. For example, "en_US" specifies English and USA conventions (for collation, currency, and calendar format), whereas "en_IE_PREEURO" specifies English in Ireland ("IE" is the ISO-639 abbreviation) with non-Euro (for example, GBP) currency. Simply hardcode the Locale constructor, although the proper method would be to read it out of the machine environment:
Locale myLoc("en", "US");
Although you probably are used to thinking in terms of one character = one glyph (displayable symbol), this is not the case when you wander very far from English. For example, the glyph "ö" (lowercase "o" with an umlaut) could legally be represented by a single Unicode character or less obviously by the "o" followed by a second code for the umlaut. Indeed, this method of construction is what allows many Asian languages to be represented without their permutations overrunning the 64,000 characters available in 16-bit representations.
This demo's code uses a character-based iterator to figure out how to word-wrap a paragraph:
#include "unicode/uchar.h" #include "unicode/brkiter.h" #include <iostream> // for cout using namespace std; // for cout int32_t wrapParagraph(const UnicodeString& s, const Locale& locale, int32_t lineStarts[], int32_t trailingwhitespace[], int32_t maxLines, int32_t maxCharsPerLine, UErrorCode &status) { int32_t numLines = 0; int32_t p=0, q; UChar c; BreakIterator *bi = BreakIterator::createLineInstance(locale, status); if (U_FAILURE(status)) { delete bi; return 0; } bi->setText(s); while (p < s.length()) { // jump ahead in the paragraph by the maximum number // of characters that will fit q = p + maxCharsPerLine; // if this puts us on a white space character, a // control character (which includes newlines), // or a non-spacing mark, seek forward and stop on // the next character that is not any of these // things since none of these characters will be // visible at the end of a line, we can ignore them // for the purposes of figuring out how many // characters will fit on the line) if (q < s.length()) { c = s[q]; while (q < s.length() && (u_isspace(c) || u_charType(c) == U_CONTROL_CHAR || u_charType(c) == U_NON_SPACING_MARK)) { ++q; c = s[q]; } } // then locate the last legal line-break decision // at or before the current position // ("at or before" is what causes the "+ 1") q = bi->preceding(q + 1); // if this causes us to wind back to where we // started, then the line has no legal // line-break positions. Break the line at the // maximum number of characters if (q == p) { p += maxCharsPerLine; lineStarts[numLines] = p; trailingwhitespace[numLines] = 0; ++numLines; } // otherwise, we got a good line-break position. // Record the start of this line (p) and then seek // back from the end of this line (q) until you find // a non-white space character (same criteria as // above) and record the number of white space // characters at the end of the line in the other // results array else { lineStarts[numLines] = p; int32_t nextLineStart = q; for (q--; q > p; q--) { c = s[q]; if (!(u_isspace(c) || u_charType(c) == U_CONTROL_CHAR || u_charType(c) == U_NON_SPACING_MARK)) { break; } } trailingwhitespace[numLines] = nextLineStart - q -1; p = nextLineStart; ++numLines; } if (numLines >= maxLines) { break; } } delete bi; return numLines; } int main(int argc, char **argv) { const int MAX_LINES=255; int32_t numLines, maxLines=MAX_LINES, lineStarts[MAX_LINES], trailingwhitespace[MAX_LINES]; UErrorCode status=U_ZERO_ERROR; UnicodeString s1 = "Eschew obfuscation intentionally recreating penultimate epistemological valuation"; UnicodeString s2 = s1 + s1 + s1; // create a somewhat // longer string for // testing Locale myLoc("en", "US"); numLines = wrapParagraph(s2, myLoc, lineStarts, trailingwhitespace, maxLines, 70, status); for (int ii=0; ii<numLines; ii++) cout << "Line " << ii << " starts at pos " << lineStarts[ii] << endl; }
The main() program simply builds up a string called s2, which contains the nonsense phrase that you are going to format into word-wrapped lines. Next, you create your locale as mentioned previously. Then, you call the wrapParagraph() function, which contains a lot of inline comments to explain its purpose.
You can see from the output below that the line lengths vary quite a bit from the requested 70 characters. This is because the shortest word used was six letters:
D:\icu>wrap Line 0 starts at pos 0 Line 1 starts at pos 56 Line 2 starts at pos 125 Line 3 starts at pos 195
Just the Tip of the ICU-berg
The ICU Library can do a lot more than, of course. It has a powerful regular expression library, a system for optimizing localization resources, a way to produce locale-friendly messages and numeric strings, normalization and translation services, and a whole lot more. Check it out.
Book Recommendation
|Unicode Demystified: A Practical Programmer's Guide to the Encoding Standard by Richard Gillam is a great way to start your education of globalization issues. The book covers the history of Unicode, normalization forms, storage, and serialization. It pays particular attention to implementation techniques such as conversion, searching and sorting, and rendering. Of course, no Unicode book would be complete without covering salient aspects of the world languages of Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.
About the Author
Victor Volkman has been writing for C/C++ Users Journal and other programming journals since the late 1980s. He is a graduate of Michigan Tech and a faculty advisor board member for Washtenaw Community College CIS department. Volkman is the editor of numerous books, including C/C++ Treasure Chest and is the owner of Loving Healing Press. He can help you in your quest for open source tools and libraries; just drop an e-mail to email@example.com.


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To assist with your accommodation booking, exclusive rates have been secured at the hotels listed below.
Bookings can be made during the registration process. Registration will open in June 2019.
Hotels are listed in order of walking distance to the venue (TSB Arena, Wellington)
InterContinental Wellington
|2 Grey Street, Wellington
(3 minutes walk to the venue / 160m away)
The 5-star InterContinental Wellington is located by the harbour waterfront. Offering an exclusive club lounge, a fitness centre, 2 restaurants and a bar. The elegant guest rooms are spacious and well-furnished. All rooms feature a TV with cable channels and a large bathroom with modern amenities and bathrobes. The
King Standard Room - $339.00
King Deluxe Room - $399.00
Rydges Hotel Wellington
|75 Featherson Street, Pipitea, Wellington
(7 minutes walk to the venue / 550m away)
Rydges Hotel is a 4+ star hotel located 5 minutes' walk from Lambton Quay and a 3-minute walk from Wellington train station. The plush, modern rooms, many with city or water views, feature free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, kitchenettes and iPod docks, as well as tea and coffee makers. Breakfast is available in the hotel restaurant. Other amenities include a sauna, a gym and an indoor pool with a hot tub.
Superior Room - $249.00
Check in: 2pm / Check out: 10am
Park Hotel Wellington
|101 The Terrace, Wellington
(8 minutes walk to the venue / 650m away)
Centrally located for work or play, Park Hotel is a
Standard Robin Room - $189.00
Superior King Studio Heron - $199.00
Check in: 2pm / Check out: 11am

subset: commoncrawl


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North Carolina General Statutes 143.215.1 and Administrative Code 15A NCAC 02H.0109 require the Division to provide public notice of permitting actions through local newspapers. The NPDES unit uses this webspace to announce publications in newspapers on a biweekly schedule.
Public comments are due 30 days from the date these notices were published in the newspapers. Actual date of publication may vary by newspaper. The date of notice shown below represents the date the unit requested publication.
Please click on the event date for full details. Columns can be sorted by category by clicking the header.
Send Comments To:
J.R. Joshi; DWQ Aquifer Protection Section; Animal Feeding Operations Unit; 1636 Mail Service Center; Raleigh, NC 27699-1636
Comment Period Ends:
Date: 2012-10-10


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One terror leader in particular, Abdelhakim Belhaj, made headlines around the world over the weekend after it emerged that he was appointed the chief of Tripoli's rebel Military Council. Prior to leading rebel forces against Gaddafi's regime, Belhaj was the founder and leader of the notorious Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG).
Eventually the terror "Emir," as he has been called, was arrested and tortured as an American prisoner in the terror war. In 2004, according to reports, he was transferred to the Gaddafi regime — then a U.S. terror-war ally.
By 2010, Belhaj was freed by Gaddafi under an amnesty agreement for "former" terrorists. And more recently, the terror leader and his men were trained by U.S. special forces to take on Gaddafi.
"We proudly announce the liberation of Libya and that Libya has become free and that the rule of the tyrant and the era of oppression is behind us," Belhaj was quoted as saying by ABC after his forces sacked one of Gaddafi's compounds. His leadership is now well established.
While most news reports about Belhaj acknowledged that the LIFG has been designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. State Department, many accounts inaccurately downplayed the group's links to terror and al-Qaeda. But evidence suggests the two terrorist organizations actually merged several years ago.
According to a study by the U.S. military, the organization had an "increasingly cooperative relationship with al-Qa'ida, which culminated in the LIFG officially joining al-Qa'ida on November 3, 2007." And even before that, former CIA boss George Tenet warned the U.S. Senate in 2004 that al-Qaeda-linked groups like the LIFG represented "one of the most immediate threats" to American security.
A few reporters, however, have highlighted the seriousness of the problem. Journalist Pepe Escobar, one of the first to report the news of Belhadj's rise to power in Tripoli, explained in the Asia Times: "Every intelligence agency in the US, Europe and the Arab world knows where he's [Belhadj's] coming from. He's already made sure in Libya that himself and his militia will only settle for sharia law."
Escobar also noted that the repercussions would be widespread. "The story of how an al-Qaeda asset turned out to be the top Libyan military commander in still war-torn Tripoli is bound to shatter — once again — that wilderness of mirrors that is the 'war on terror,'" he noted. It will also compromise "the carefully constructed propaganda of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO's) 'humanitarian' intervention in Libya."
Israeli intelligence group Debka also drew attention to the situation in a recent analysis. "Belhadj is on record as rejecting any political form of coexistence with the Crusaders excepting jihad," the organization noted in a piece entitled "Pro-Al Qaeda brigades control Qaddafi Tripoli strongholds seized by rebels."
Belhadj, of course, is hardly the only al-Qaeda terrorist leading rebel forces in the NATO-backed takeover of Libya. Abdel-Hakim al-Hasidi, another key insurgent military commander, has also boasted of his links to terror groups and his battles against U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Countless other "former" terrorists, many of whom are well-known to American officials, are also deeply embedded in the new rebel regime. And according to CNN, hundreds of al-Qaeda-linked Islamic extremists have been set free from Libyan prisons in recent days and weeks by rebel forces.
"Nobody knows what these released prisoners are going to do next," explained Noman Benotman, identified as a "former Libyan Jihadist" and senior LIFG leader. "Will they take part in the fighting and if they do will they join pre-existing rebel brigades or form a separate fighting force?"
On top of that, because the rebel government has already been recognized by Western governments, it will soon be receiving billions of dollars that were seized from the Gaddafi regime. Massive aid packages and overwhelming military support have been flowing to the rebels for months.
Al-Qaeda fighters and other Islamic extremists are also now in possession of huge stockpiles of advanced military weaponry including missiles and possibly even weapons of mass destruction. Concern about chemical agents falling into their hands is growing quickly.
NATO powers, which secretly armed the rebels before Western intervention became official, also flooded the nation with arms. And Gaddafi's stockpiles have been thoroughly raided, adding even more fuel to the fire as the weapons begin to flow toward Jihadists around the world.
And the battle is indeed expanding. Al-Qaeda is now targeting regimes that did not back the Libyan rebellion. After an attack on an important Algerian military academy that left 18 dead, for example, a statement released by al-Qaeda said the strike was due to Algeria "continuing to support the Libyan dictator Gadaffi to fight against our brothers."
As The New American reported in March, top al-Qaeda figures actually backed and praised the rebellion in Libya from the very beginning. Many key terrorist leaders were known to be intimately involved with the NATO-backed uprising.
Ironically perhaps, Gaddafi claimed from the start that the rebels were Western agents and al-Qaeda leaders. But despite U.S. Senators McCain and Lieberman having praised the regime several years earlier as an "ally" in the terror war deserving of American weapons, Gaddafi's statements were dismissed by most analysts.
Eventually, however, even top U.S. officials confirmed that there were at least "flickers" of al-Qaeda among the rebel leadership. Now it is becoming increasingly apparent that they are firmly in control. And evidence of widespread war crimes by NATO and its extremist proxies on the ground is mounting by the day.
Congressman and GOP presidential candidate Ron Paul warned that the worst for Libyans may be yet to come. "We face a situation where a rebel element we have been assisting may very well be radical jihadists, bent on our destruction, and placed in positions of power in a new government," he said in a statement released last week. "Worse still, Gadhafi's successor is likely to be just as bad, or worse, than Gadhafi himself."
The aftermath of NATO's Libya war will almost certainly be bloody and fraught with problems. And even though the truth is difficult to discern amid a web of lies emanating from both sides, what has been learned doesn't paint a bright picture for the future.
Sharia law is enshrined in the draft Constitution, and the violence shows no signs of easing thus far. The rebel "Transitional Council" also announced early on that it had created a Western-style central bank to take over from Gaddafi's state-owned monetary authority.
Even as Libya spirals deeper into chaos and Gaddafi vows to fight on for years, NATO may well be planning further "regime change" missions for other Middle Eastern nations. Islamic extremists, meanwhile, are arming and preparing themselves for more violence as they exploit the situation to gain more power. Analysts say the nightmare is only beginning.
Photo: Rebel fighters belonging to a battalion commanded by Abdel-Moneim Mokhtar, a former Libyan rebel fighter and military commander in the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG), who was ambushed and killed by Moammar Gadhafi's troops last April: AP Images


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It's been a little while since I wrote about blogging on here. Many people have asked me about my blogging organisation and spreadsheets and if you're interested about that, please let me know in comments and I will gladly do something about this later on, even if it should probably take me about 5 hours to write it down somehow? (okay. like every other blogging post I do #oops)
ANYWAY, today I thought I'd tackle a kind of popular topic around the blogosphere and actually talk about numbers. As you know, I might not be a fan of numbers, because all of our lives revolve around numbers, while these definitely aren't everything. Yet, we can't deny the rush we feel about new blog followers, new comments in our notifications tab and so on.
So today I am sharing how I do it all. I'm definitely not the biggest book blogger out there and I will be sharing half advice you already know, but mixed up with my own experience and how it worked out quite well for me, too. I hope this will or might help you and that you will enjoy it!
How to gain blog followers, interaction and be part of the blogging community
Be consistent
My number one tip to grow a following on a blog is, consistency. It's definitely an advice you've heard a lot and there's a reason for that: it actually works. Consistency means you have to write and publish blog posts on a regular basis. It's simple, really: if people see you putting new things out there regularly, they will maybe read one blog post, then another, slowly grow accustomed to seeing you and enjoying your content and boom, subscribing, really.
Consistency does not mean you have to post every day. It just means that, if you're posting on your blog on a regular basis, whether it's twice a week, once a week, two times a month, you're out there.
Consistency does not mean you can't and should NOT take breaks. Your mental health, your personal life and everything else always comes first.
Pay attention to looks – because looks really does matter
Have you ever stumbled upon a blog with a really colorful design – I mean, so bright you can't even see what's happening? Did you ever try to read a blog with the font so tiny you can't really focus on it?
If you want people to read your content, you have to make your blog, as a whole, look attractive and welcoming. That starts with a good, not too-cluttered design, with colors or / and a writing that isn't too bright. That continues with blog posts you can actually find – either they're directly on the homepage or you have a direct access to all of them in a menu. With categories you can find, eventually a search bar, too. Be Monica Geller, have an organized blog, or at least design.
Have an easy follow button to find. If you're on the free WordPress.com platform, it's there automatically at the bottom, but if you're self-hosted, on any other platform, make some icons to follow your blog easily, at the top of your blog or on the left / right side column. To get you on bloglovin, goodreads, social media. Make it easy. Let's face it, people are laaaaaaazy okay.
Make yourself known in the blogging community
This advice really is… well, I could talk about that one for days, really. How the heck do you make yourself known?
Participate in what the community offers.
This means, join bookish memes (Top Ten Tuesday, Waiting On Wednesday, etc.). It's an easy way to link back to your blog, to find new people to chat with as well. It's easy, it's fun and it has helped me loads when I started blogging a couple years ago. Check out this Memes Master List for ideas, as well as Dani's Book Bloggers Meme Directory.
This also means, join bookish challenges: the ones that come to mind at the moment is the Discussion Challenge, that is an amazing way to challenge yourself to post something fun regularly, as well as to find other bloggers to chat with on great topics.
Do bookish tags. Tag other people, too. These are fun posts to write and allows us to get to know you and your bookish taste better. People love being tagged, too. Shout out loud and make friends this way. People are nice, I swear it works most of the time. (also if you're looking for book tags, feel free to browse my blog and tag yourself in everythinggggg).
Don't just participate by writing your blog post and that's it. Engage with people. Comment on other blogger's posts.
Write engaging blog posts
Yes, but Marie, what the hell is an engaging blog post? Spoiler alert: I have no idea. I just know that, some people write in a way that makes me want to engage with them, to start a conversation, to leave a comment, to interact, to follow them to see more of them on my timeline.
Obviously, these posts have to be cool to read. Meaning that, since I'm lazy and read a lot, I like having images, paragraphs, separators, funny GIFs, bold text and so on. Things that make reading a long blog post, somehow, feel like a walk in the park. (More about writing an engaging blog post here. #shamelessselfpromo)
Yet, if that's obvious advice and something anyone can do, the best way you can to be engaging is to be yourself, too. Finding your blogging voice and how you want to write your blog posts, seriously, by inserting jokes, with loads of GIFs, screaming in ALL CAPS EVERY NOW AND THEN or expressing yourself with lists… it all takes time. Try it out to see what works out best, both for your following, interaction and most importantly, WHAT YOU ENJOY TO DO. (Oh, and be yourself. I know Cait's incredible and has a fabulous blogging voice. She's herself, you're not her. Do your thing)
Seriously. It sounds dumb but, if you're having a fun time writing a blog post, it shows. Also, SHOW people you care. Ask them questions by the end of the blog post, recommendations. Invite them to comment.
I know that not everyone is into blog-hopping and that's perfectly okay. I'm also trying to be as honest as I can here and say it again, and again, and again: I am certain that I would not have what I have right now, if I didn't blog-hop, at all. What do I have, you ask? Interactions, meaning people actually want to talk to me and that will never, ever cease to amaze me??
I wrote an extensive blog post on how to blog-hop, so I'm not going to spend too much time on that, but honestly… it sounds like a chore, at times. Maybe it is. But who said you have to spend a DAY reading blogs, or check out ten thousands? You can find one new blog every day, or every week. You can spend half-an-hour blog-hopping every now and then. Find your rhythm. To be honest, my number one tip in all this post is here: find people. Otherwise they won't find you.
Answer to your own comments
When I spend time reading a blog post and never, never get acknowledged back, I feel sad. I am not saying you can't take your time to answer your comments, or that you have to answer to every single one, especially if it's jut someone saying "great blog post", or something random like that. I'm saying that I genuinely enjoy seeing people spending time to write a comment, no matter how small or big, so I want to tell them thank you. I want to ask them more about their thoughts and start up a conversation. I want to maybe check out their blog and share some of the love back, too.
I don't know if that works out well in order to gain followers and interaction, but I know people sometimes answer back. I know some people are happy I answered to them, because if it were me, I would be, too. And if you're not blogging for that, for the conversations, I'm going to be honest and ask you, why?
Join social media
I have a love-hate relationship with social media, yet sometimes it works out well. People share blog posts there and you can share other blog posts, too. It's easy (well… if you're not like me) to interact with people there, make some new friends. You might even get traffic on your blog thanks to all of these blog-posts sharing. Also let's be 300% honest here: social media's taking over everything sooooo…. good to be in the loop there.
I realize that was not proper advice, so let me get started again. Twitter is GREAT if you're a book blogger, because you'll learn SO much, find out amazing bloggers to interact with. You can share your blog posts and share others, you can gain traffic, new followers and interaction, too. When it's not too overwhelming, it's fun. Remember to take breaks.
I didn't talk about a bunch of stuff in that blog post. I could have mentioned SEO and how you can be found by search engines, for instance. I didn't talk about Pinterest and other social media you could use to gain traffic and maybe followers. This post is long enough and I only focused on what I am actually using that worked out fairly well for me.
If you're taking one thing out of this blog post, let it be this: blog to join a community. To have bookish conversations, to spread the love, give love to the world and it gives back. Also I'm just saying this because it's the BEST thing about book blogging, so…
Best advice to take out of this though is, don't be too impatient because it takes time. It's so easy to get bummed out when a relatively new book blogger gets about 1K followers in that time it took you to get to 250 followers or something. Everyone has its own growth, rhythm and everyone has a different life behind the screen, too.
Also, if blog followers, interaction and everything else IS cool and bring on fun opportunities, (makes us feel very, very great, too, not denying it) please remember that it's not ALL about numbers. Personally, I measure success on the great interactions I have with people and the friends I've made. And NOT the number of friends, either, but how incredible they are and let me tell you, you're a bunch of awesome people.
Remember that numbers, followers, interaction and blogging does not come at the price of your sanity and mental health. It's a hobby. Growing is great, having fun is always the best.
What do you think of my tips to gain followers and interactions? Which of these do you use? Do you have any other tips you'd like to share? I'd love to know!
Would you like any kind of other "how to" blog posts like these from me? About blogging organizations and spreadsheets? About comments, about freaking out, aboutttttttt I don't know? Let me know everything in comments, I would love to know your thoughts.


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Pic(k) of the week 31: Firework over the B-29 at Airventure 2015 (Oshkosh)
Earlier this week, I got back from the World's Greatest Aviation Celebration; Airventure 2015. Most Aviation geeks refer to it as "OSHKOSH"; named after the city in Wisconsin where the yearly event is held.
For now, I won't go in much more detail on the show, as I will dedicate an entire blogpost to this amazing event in about 10 days or so...
The image below, which symbolises the overall celebration aspect of the show, was shot at the end of one of the "Night Airshows". After having been on the airshow grounds for more than 14 hours, I thought I was pretty much done with my photography for the day, until I spotted a great angle to shoot the fireworks over the worlds only flying Boeing B-29 WW II bomber.
Unfortunately that night I didn't have my tripod with me; so it was back to good old handholding technique... Given the image was shot at a full frame equivalent 30mm focal length, the general rule of thumb dictates a 1/30s minimum shutter speed. However at ISO 3200 my shutter speed turned out to be 1/2 sec.Kudos to the amazing Fujifilm Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS) on their latest lenses, the image came out very sharp, with virtually no motion blur, at half a second. Beside, shooting at ISO 3200 is virtually noise free of the Fujifilm X-trans sensors.
Image details:
Fujifilm X-T1 with the XF 18-135 f3.5/5.6 R LM OIS WR Fujinon lens
ISO 3200, 20mm focal length, f3.6, 1/2sec
Lightroom CC for RAW file development
During the next week, I will be uploading new images from Airventure 2015 here.


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|Biosequences .. Software .. Molbio soft .. Network News .. FTP
Humorous sale names are not the domain of only the FS, I spent 2 summers setting up sales for the state of Michigan. on "Little devils red pine" I came home each day with 1 less pint of blood due to the Black flies. Larry Harrell wrote: > > The USFS is known to have a sense of humor sometimes regarding timber sale > names. Here are some examples of sales that I have worked on or heard of: > > Armageddon: Now, here is a politically incorrect name in these days of > eco-activism > On this sale, we turned 4 planned clearcuts into 24 of them, but > all of > them were under 4 acres. The "flower pot effect" > between the lava > reefs made this possible. The sale was in a group with > other sales > named Rapture and Tribulation, so, I am sure that > clears up some > questions you might have had about this one. <g> > > Insecta Correcta: > Pitchy Pasta: > Beetle Battle: > Bugs to Boot: > Braindead: All of these were insect salvage sales (as you might have > guessed) > > Outer Limits: This one was a helicopter sale which had up to 3 mile > flight > distances, hence, the name. > > Tinman: This was a blowdown sale with included insect salvage that > went from > 2.2 million board feet estimated up to 8 million when > finished due to > inexperienced timber markers and cruisers plus > pressure from above > to boost the volume. And the purchaser still > complained about the > marking on this incompletely marked sale. As Harvest > Inspector, I > was the most conservative marker out there strictly > following the EA > (Environmental Assessment) and leaving large snags, > as per the > contract. That really drew the ire of purchaser, > contractor, Sale > Administator and others and is probably the reason I > am unemployed > now. > > Bendover: This name was on the books for several years for a sale > that was > near a place called Bendorf springs. The local timber > industry pushed > the USFS to put this sale up, despite the fact that > it was in an area > that required herbicides as post sale treatment for > bear clover, and at > that time, there was still a ban on USFS use of > herbicides. The > foresters thought it was a funny play on words but, > the name was > eventually changed to a more tame one > > Anyone else have some silly sale names?


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PC Services
At Lenovo, we offer a broad portfolio of services that can make your IT operations run smoother - and enhance your bottom line. These include:Learn more >
Data Center Services
Lenovo offers a comprehensive portfolio of services that supports the full lifecycle of the customer's Lenovo IT assets. At every stage from planning through end of life, we offer the expertise and services our customers need.Learn more >


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2012 BlueCat Screenplay Competition CALL FOR ENTRIES!
***Early Bird Deadline Aug 1: be eligible for the Best Screenplay Title prizes! Top
three awarded $250.
Script Analysis
This year we will be offering two written screenplay analyses for each submission! Two
different readers will read each script, with each reader providing written script analysis.
Winner receives $10,000, with four finalists receiving $2,000 each.
Best UK screenplay $1,000.
Best screenplay from outside the USA, Canada and the UK $1,000.
Every entrant who submits by August 1st is eligible for our Title contest, where
three scripts will be awarded $250.
One writer will be awarded a live, staged reading with professional local actors at
Screenplay Live in Rochester, New York, as part of the 360|365 George Eastman
House Film Festival. The prize includes travel, hotel and a $250 stipend.
Official Deadlines
Early Bird: August 1, 2011 (Best Screenplay Title Contest)
Regular deadline is October 15th with an entry fee of $60.
Final deadline is November 15th with an entry fee of $65.
SUBMIT YOUR SCREENPLAY: http://www.bluecatscreenplay.com
Founded in 1998 by screenwriter Gordy Hoffman, the BlueCat Screenwriting
Competition continues to evolve as it enters its second decade. With an open exchange of
feedback with the screenwriter, BlueCat has developed into a large community of writers
passionately committed to writing original, unforgettable work.
BlueCat Screenplay Competition
Website: http://www.bluecatscreenplay.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/bluecatpictures
Facebook: http://facebook.com/bluecatscreenplaycompetition
Weekly Newsletter: http://bluecatscreenplay.com/join_newsletter
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/bluecatscreenplay
2012 BlueCat Screenwriting Competition Call for Entries!
Writing for the big screen has its own unique challenges. Discuss character, theme, plot and theory issues in this forum.
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Official Group
As the inaugural event in the Self Driving Track Days series of driverless technology test track events, we're providing two full days of access to the Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground on 15th and 16th November 2016 for any organisations working on developing autonomous vehicle or related driverless technologies.
We're inviting a number of car and technology suppliers from around the world (some of whom have already confirmed they will be shipping autonomous vehicles over) but as a UK company ourselves, we're also keen to support the demonstration and visibility of as much UK research and technology as possible.
This might be include fully driverless vehicles (personal transport pods, cars or small buses) or robotically controlled drones used for delivery, or development platforms for sensor systems, human-machine interface research, or articificial intelligence-controlled motorised systems.
A number of international media outlets have confirmed they'll be attending already, and we'd like to make this an opportunity for companies of all sizes, research organisations, universties, Formula Student teams, OEMs, Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers, as well as CCAV funded projects and consortia to gather in one place.
We are prioritising free entry to organisations with working driverless vehicles (to maximise media coverage) but if, for example, you have a development platform or prototype on which other technologies could be combined, then please get in touch with me directly by email - firstname.lastname@example.com
We are leveraging sponsorship from established suppliers in the sector to pay for these activities, whom we are working with to create "driverless perception kits" for organisations, researchers and universities to have more affordable access to the hardware needed to develop driverless vehicles. The kit concept and contents will also be launched at this event.
Regrettably we are not able to accommodate spectators, however this will be a great opportunity to test your technologies and gain exposure to colleagues around the industry, share knowledge and network, as well as have opportunities for international media coverage.
Register online and find out more about the event at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/self-driving-track-days-bruntingthorpe-tickets-26755644854
Please note the entry fees are refundable deposits, per vehicle.


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Are critters of the sea losing it?
Uncharacteristic feeding behavior from dolphins and whales is grabbing the attention of scientists – and the public – and so far is prompting more questions than answers about what's going on in the ocean depths.
Blue whales, which usually hang out off Costa Rica this time of year, unexpectedly showed up in California's Monterey Bay over the past week, gorging on a sizable buffet of krill. Over the weekend, a huge population of short-beaked dolphins that stretched out over 35 miles indulged in a feeding frenzy off the coast of San Diego. Last fall, sperm whales appeared uncharacteristically in Canada's Bay of Fundy. In December, rare right whales, calves in tow, showed up months earlier than usual to feed off Massachusetts' Cape Cod.
Were those thousands of dolphins who churned the coastal waters into a vast swath of sea foam just having a Presidents' Day party closer to shore than usual? Or, as some observers suggest, is all this unusual marine mammal activity a hint that some major disturbance is afoot in the oceans?
These are the kinds of big questions that scientists are reluctant to answer quickly when dramatic events occur.
Take the recent reappearance of porpoises in San Francisco Bay, after a 65-year absence.
"We like to study these long-term trends and really find out what is behind them," says Bill Keener of Golden Gate Cetacean Research, a nonprofit organization set up to determine why porpoises suddenly returned to San Francisco after deserting the premises soon after World War II.
Most researchers concur that the ocean's hungry giants will follow the food wherever it takes them. Witness the blue whales feasting on krill in Monterey Bay. The ocean's largest mammal consumes this tiny shrimp-like food by taking in vast gulps of seawater and forcing it back out through baleen plates at the front of its mouth.
Indeed, record supply of other food favorites, such as squid and mackerel, off both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts is attracting the whales and dolphins.
On the Atlantic coast, scientists on Cape Cod and in Canada have noted that the ocean waters are warming, which could in turn affect the food supply for these big creatures. Warmer water speeds up growth rates of phytoplankton, the foundation of the food chain. That leads to more plankton, which are eaten by smaller fish who in turn are scooped up by the larger sea creatures.
But hard science is very hard to come by linking climate change to anecdotal moments such as the unexpected offshore mega-pods of dolphins and whales, says Beth Pratt, California director of the National Wildlife Federation. "Clearly, something is going on, but what has changed about the feeding has not been thoroughly researched yet," she says. "All these events are part of all of us saying, 'wow, we are observing something unprecedented,' but we don't know what it means yet."
In the meantime, she says, observing the behavior of the planet's top predators is meaningful even if the data are still forthcoming to help explain it. "There are important questions still to be answered such as, what does this tell us about the part of climate change that we can control," says Ms. Pratt. "These are indicator species about the health of our oceans."
Most of the planet is made up of ocean life, she notes. "These species are the canaries in the mines of the most important life on our planet."


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STARKVILLE, Miss. – Mississippi State welcomed four newcomers to its football program as classes began this month. Jeremey Chappelle, Kivon Coman, Justin Cox and Artimas Samuel all join the team and will participate in offseason workouts and spring practices.
"This is a talented group of young men that will certainly have an opportunity to make an immediate impact on our 2013 football team," head coach Dan Mullen said.
The Bulldogs begin offseason workouts this week and will host the annual spring game on April 21 as part of Super Bulldog Weekend.
Junior College: Led Coach Danny Parker and the Apaches, as well as the Southwest Junior College Football Conference, with 60 receptions for 801 yards and 10 touchdowns despite missing action in two game due to injury … Named first-team all-conference in the SWJCFC … Played his freshman year for Stephen F. Austin State University hauling in 17 passes for 175 yards … Enrolled at MSU in January 2013 … Rated a four-star recruit by ESPN.com and awarded three stars by Scout.com, 247Sports.com and Rivals.com … Chose Mississippi State in December 2012 over offers from Houston, Louisiana Tech, Southern Miss, West Virginia and others.
HIGH SCHOOL: Decorated high school player in the rich Texas football ranks… Named the 2009 TAPPS 2-III Co-MVP … Led Brook Hill High School to the TAPPS Division III state championship game, pulling in seven balls for 65 yards … Led the team to the state title game with a five catch 143-yard ball game in the semifinals, pulling in two touchdowns one for 99 yards …
PERSONAL: Born Jeremey Tyrone Chappelle on Nov. 16, 1991 in Tyler, Texas … Son of Veronica Hunter and Tyrone Chappelle.
HIGH SCHOOL: Tabbed as the top post-grad safety in the country by 247Sports while being the 29th rated prep player, regardless of position, in the country …Spent past season at prestigious Hargrave Military Academy in post-graduate school after graduating from Florence High School in Florence, Ala … During post-graduate season, recorded 57 total tackles, a tackle for loss, a forced and recovered fumble and tied for the team lead with three interceptions … First signed with the Bulldogs on February 1, 2012 … Recorded 62 tackles, six pass deflections, six forced fumbles, four interceptions and three fumble recoveries during his senior season at Florence … Selected to the Mississippi-Alabama All-Star Classic as one of the top players in the state of Alabama, and started at cornerback … Was tabbed as a top recruit in the state of Alabama in the Alabama Sports Writers Association's Elite 18 football prospects … Named Second-Team All-State by Scout.com.
PERSONAL: Born Kivon Dontez Coman on Oct. 25, 1992 … Son of Shaquita Coman.
JUNIOR COLLEGE: Speedy defensive back that can help the Bulldogs at either cornerback or safety at the next level … Rated a four-star recruit byESPN.com, Scout.com and 247Sports.com … Considered the second-best safety prospect in the country by 247Sports.com, while earning the 33rd spot regardless of position in the country … Played last two seasons for EMCC and head coach Buddy Stephens … Compiled 11 interceptions in his two season as a Lion with 19 pass breakups … Was second on the team in tackles with 119 adding seven tackles behind the line of scrimmage … Along with a 2011 national championship ring, Cox also garnered several individual honors … Named to the 2012 NJCAA Region 23 First-Team as a defensive back … Enrolled in MSU in January 2013 … Committed to Mississippi State in December 2012 over offers from Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Ole Miss, Nebraska, Tennessee and a host of others.
HIGH SCHOOL: Signed with Mississippi State with only three other FBS offers … Rated a three-star recruit by Scout.com and the 95th-best cornerback in the country by the same publication … Named First-Team All-State by the Clarion Ledger… Named Class 5A, First-Team All-State by the Mississippi Association of Coaches … Named All-Area by the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal … Won two-straight state championships for the West Point Green Wave, playing both offense and defense while also standing out on special teams … Rushed for 1,136 yards and 19 touchdowns during his senior season … Chosen to play in the Mississippi-Alabama All-Star Classic and Mobile where he started the ballgame at corner… Was named one of three finalists for Mississippi's Mr. Football.
HIGH SCHOOL: Rated a three-star recruit by ESPN.com, Scout.com and Rivals.com … Tabbed as the No. 51 rated prep star in the country by247Sports.com, while earning a No. 29 ranking in the state of Virginia regardless of position and the third ranked tight end in the country … Spent 2012 season with prestigious Hargrave Military Academy following a solid high school career at Carver High School in Georgia … Caught eight passes for 117 yards and two touchdowns in his one year for Hargrave and coach Troy Davis … Helped lead Carver High School to a 12-2 record and a trip to the Class 2A Semifinals during his senior year … Accumulated 356 yards receiving and 11 touchdowns during his junior campaign … Committed to the Bulldogs, for a second time, in August 2012 and enrolled in classes in January 2013.
PERSONAL: Born Artimus Samuel … Son of Jimmy Majors and Linda Samuel.
via Four New Bulldogs Join Football Program For Spring Semester – Mississippi State University Bulldogs Official Athletic Site – HailState.com.


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(Pocket-lint) - Canonical has announced its Ubuntu tablet interface, after announcing Ubuntu for mobile handsets in January.
Built off the same core as the mobile handset experience, Ubuntu for tablets has a focus on multi-tasking, sleekness and productivity. The "Side Stage" multitasking capability allows a phone app on the screen at the same time as a tablet app. There is a similar feature on the mobile version for easy multitasking.
Canonical built the Ubuntu tablet interface for 6-inch to 20-inch tablets boasting a 100 to 450 PPI screen quality. What Canonical seems to be getting at here is a complete experience, having an operating system that works across the PC, phone, and tablet. "Not only do we integrate phone apps in a distinctive way, we shift from tablet to PC very smoothly in convergence devices," says Ubuntu.
Other features Ubuntu mobile will offer includes a secure multi-user sign-in environment similar to what we see on Jelly Bean, a voice-controlled heads-up display, and media integration.
The media integration was touched on at Canonical's January press event, as the company has plans for docking capabilities to the television and desktop. Given Ubuntu is just one big OS for many different platforms, Canonical says this will be a seamless experience.
READ: Ubuntu phone pictures and hands-on
As with the phone, no hardware or carrier partners have been detailed. Those will came later this year, but Canonical will be at Mobile World Congress 2013 in late February showing off the operating system.
Canonical will make the Touch Developer Preview of Ubuntu available on 21 February for the Nexus 7 and Nexus 10. Additionally, it will make the handset version of Ubuntu available for Google's Nexus 4 and Galaxy Nexus, letting developers get an early start on creating applications. Pocket-lint will bring you a full hands-on. Stay tuned!


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The Bordeaux blend has been copied with considerable success in many other wine regions, the ultimate compliment. The Left Bank of the Gironde River boasts the great Chateaux of the Medoc and Graves, whilst on the Right Bank, Saint Emilion (arguably the most beautiful commune) and Pomerol. Bordeaux is synonymous with the finest quality, predominantly in red wines though great dry whites are made in the Pessac Leognan, and most wine lovers will strive to taste the sweet white wines of Chateau Yquem and its neighbouring Chateau in Sauternes and Barsac.
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2009 Leoville Barton 2nd Cru St Julien (Case - 12/75cl)
The 2009 vintage, to quote Robert Parker maybe be the best vintage in decades. Communes on the left bank particularly have produced some of the best wines they have ever made with Leoville Barton no exception. Tasted recently at an event conducted by Anthony Barton himself, the Leoville Barton 2009 is an exciting wine that even though so young is drinking well. With more time i…
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[Issues Of Principle]
There is an adage among the Central Lwo-speaking people in Africa that calamities make people patch up if not transcend their differences.
The adage is more often than not applied to question of leadership: that it is in times of crises that the quality of leaders can be gauged and appreciated.
In Uganda, in the past two decades, both epidemiological disasters and political pathologies have afforded the population opportunity to evaluate the type of leadership in the county. I review both here to draw larger lessons for purpose of cross-fertilization of ideas, principally because even in situation of grim mismanagement a cordon sanitaire cannot be drawn about ideas.
From about September 2000 to February 2001, Uganda experienced the largest ever recorded outbreak of Ebola, a deadly and highly contagious virus that causes hemorrhagic fever in humans. Three areas of the country were affected. The epicenter of the virus was Gulu, the provincial capital of the war-ravaged northern Uganda. The other areas were Masindi in central Uganda, where six percent of the deaths were recorded; and Mbarara in south-western Uganda where one percent of deaths occurred.
During the time of the pandemic, the local medical staff under the inspirational leadership of Dr. Matthew Lukwiya worked heroically, with nurses prepared to risk their lives by going out into the town and villages to try to bring the sick to Lacor Hospital, the Catholic missionary hospital where most of the patients were treated, before the illness spread and wreaked havoc.
Towards the end of the pandemic the committed doctor himself, Lukwiya, succumbed to the virus and died in December 2000, joining more than 224 who died out of 425 cases recorded. Apart from the people who died as a result of the virus, about 1,000 children were orphaned.
The heroism of Dr. Lukwiya and his staff and the solidarity of the international community were, however, not matched by the government's response to the unfolding devastating tragedy. At the time, the government's lackluster concern was construed by keen observers as a function of its antipathy towards people from northern Uganda.
Seven years later, in September 2007, another Ebola outbreak occurred in Uganda. This time, the epicenter is a place call Bundibugyo in Western Uganda, the region from where President Museveni hails. The death toll since the outbreak has been recorded at about 30, out of a total of about 110 infections reported. In response, the government in early December 2007 sanctioned the release of slightly more than US$3 million towards efforts to wipe out the pandemics from the region.
At about the same time that the government announced the release of the money for the fight against the virus, President Museveni summoned and told a parliamentary committee on Presidential Affairs of his urgent need to upgrade his presidential jet from the current Gulf Stream 4 to a Gulf Stream 5 version. It is estimated that a brand new Gulf Stream 5 (G5) presidential jet to replace the G4 would cost about $35million.
This is how Museveni justified the need to shift from the G4 to the G5 version of presidential jet: "I started [in 1986] with the G2 and it was traded with G3 because it could not reach London by express and would make stopovers. This was risky because the bad forces usually target planes while taking off and while landing. I wanted a plane, which went to London directly without making stopovers. We changed to G4 which is perfect, has a long range, security is guaranteed and there are no stopovers in dangerous places. It is also good because you don't land in third world airports, which is risky."
Museveni's Press Secretary, Tamale Mirundi, added that: "The President said manufacturers have shifted interest to the Gulf Stream 5. The G5 flies for 14 hours express, is flexible for bad weather and its airworthiness is not contested."
At face value, the justifications for purchasing a new presidential jet for Museveni might be said to demonstrate a mediaeval approach to governance and perverted sense of priorities for the country. The approach tends to take the state as the personal fiefdom or estate of the president, and calls for expending whatever resources are necessary to ensure his comfort and survival in power, even when thousands of citizens are suffering on an unprecedented scale.
Museveni's priorities can be gauged from the pattern of governmental expenditures, which indicates that he deliberately does not care about the welfare of citizens, as opposed to his negligence due to lack of knowledge of the conditions in the country. This is so because public figures and views from his Cabinet Ministers are quite clear about the various crises in the country. A few examples, mostly from the health sector, will suffice to illustrate the point.
In March 2007, the Monitor newspaper reported that many patients at Mulago, the national referral hospital, were wasting away due to lack of medical care and basic facilities. One doctor at the hospital is reported to have said: "The conditions inside the Labour Ward are not suitable for pregnant women, so they come out for fresh air. Some of them have to sleep under beds already occupied."
Another doctor who works in the ward said that lack of supplies such as gloves, drip sets, Jik and other essentials for surgery and examination often forces them to abandon surgical operations. He said, "There are no gloves, no syringes, no incubation tubes, sterilizers and Jik. These are the necessities for an operation to take place."
In April 2007, a report in the government's mouthpiece, The New Vision, revealed that the Vice President, Gilbert Bukenya, was appalled by the scale of the tragic plight of at least eight million Ugandans whom he said live in abject poverty, on less than US$1 a day.
In May 2007, the State Minister for Health in charge of Primary Health Care, Emmanuel Otaala, acknowledged that Uganda's share of the national budget to the health sector was a shameful 8.3 percent, which according to him, fell well below the target the government agreed to spend on the health sector.
In October 2007, the late Minister of State for Planning, Omwony Ojwok, was shocked to see a woman give birth in bushes next to a closed health center in Isingira district in Western Uganda. According to reports in Ugandan newspapers, although Omwony Ojwok was shocked, the local people were quite used to the phenomenon.
With these facts, apart from issue of perverted priorities, what sense can be made of Museveni's desire to buy a new presidential jet; and most crucially, what informs the desire? A critical analysis of Museveni's justification for wanting another presidential jet reveals a problem far more fundamental problem than simply skewed priorities. It reveals that Museveni is deeply infected with insecurity and fear. It is this terminal insecurity and fear he suffers, which is a distinctive feature of the regime and might explain Museveni's policies and actions towards both citizens and his external patrons.
To appreciate and grasp the fundamental role played by insecurity and fear in Museveni's mode of operation, we must recall his justification for acquisition of a new presidential jet. Remember, he said that he changed from Gulf Stream G2 to G3 because the former "could not reach London by express and would make stopovers. This was risky because the bad forces usually target planes while taking off and while landing. I wanted a plane, which went to London directly without making stopovers. We changed to G4 which is perfect, has a long range, security is guaranteed and there are no stopovers in dangerous places. It is also good because you don't land in third world airports, which is risky." By this statement, Museveni has more or less laid bare the fact that the demons of insecurity and fear haunt and play havoc in his mind.
How can we understand and explain Museveni's overpowering insecurity and fear, which makes him think that there are forces all over Africa and the "Third World" determined to do harm to him? The answer is three-fold.
First, the justification Museveni proffered indicates that he lacks inner confidence. This might be a result of economic insecurity in his background, which he has tried to address by parasitically amassing enormous wealth through domination of the various apparatuses of the state. The insecurity seems to have also left a permanent scar on his physiological disposition. Oral evidence and his academic record, for example, show that he was rather dim during his academic pursuits.
It seems that in order to compensate for his academic inadequacy, he sought to entertain militaristic fantasies. Certainly, the theme of glorification of military means (or militarism) threads his life rather neatly and tragically. It should be emphasized that the obsession with military means is really not an outgrowth of strength; but rather, it is born of insecurity and fear. This may explain why Museveni often resorts to violence to cow people into submission whenever he loses rational arguments or contests.
Second, Museveni's eagerness to fly to London nonstop suggests that he feels more secure and comfortable in England than his own country. From this it must be construed that he knows that he lacks popular political support from Ugandans. It should be pointed out that in the 1980 elections, for example, his lack of popularity was proven by his defeat for a Parliamentary seat at the hands of his current Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sam Kutesa, when he, Museveni, was Minister in the ruling junta.
It was because of the lack of popular internal support that Museveni embarked on guerrilla warfare, which resulted into his usurpation of power in 1986. The violence with which he began as a means for securing power has continued to dictate to him that he should depend on the military as his anchor in power. This might also explain why in a country where the doctor-to-patient ratio is 1: 42, 725, he has more than 10,000 troops in his personal presidential brigade, superintended by his son. This is quite apart from the national army which he would like to use as his mercenary force.
And third, Museveni's insecurity and fear have been exacerbated by the unspeakable outrages he committed against many people. Reports have it that, in 1979, for example, he ordered the killing of Muslims in Mbarara, without any reasonable cause. And of course, he bears responsibility for creating dehumanizing conditions in which he subjected the people of northern Uganda. The logic of his atrocities and commission deaths of many people has led him to fear that those whom he grievously wronged might like to settle scores with him or his cohorts.
Because of his insecurity and fear, Museveni has in turn deployed fear as a means of governance. An integral part of the technique is to use bribery extensively. The bribery must be seen as part and parcel of blackmailing people to keep silent against the outrages he commits. The logic is that once bribed, a recipient would be in fear of exposure.
In fact, Museveni has used bribery to lethal effect to silence all those who might like to dissent from his public policies. Thus reputable academics and politicians who should have been expected to speak up and out against the many assaults by Museveni on democratic pluralism, the rule of law, the independence of the judiciary, and separation of powers, have been made dumb for fear that the regime might expose them for the bribes accepted.
For those who have not been bribed or compromised, there is always the fear of losing jobs or mortgage or business or livelihood, should they speak out against the regime. The point is that Museveni has, from his insecurity and fear, learnt a Machiavellian lesson, which he has in turn used to infect a cross-section of academics and politicians in this way, and which has robbed the country of otherwise formidable and independent voices.
In as far as external patrons of the regime are concerned, they are more than aware of Museveni's terminal insecurity and fear. In fact, they know that Museveni would obey their commands precisely because he is infected with multiple insecurity and fear. Indeed, their own modes of dealing with him are premised on the knowledge; for they know that he is more or less an empty vessel and that without them he would lose power. This might explain why Museveni is much more amenable to external pressures and seeks their approval than to the democratic agitations of Ugandans and why he is prone to regard as blasphemy any challenge to his policy of mortgaging the country to external interests.
The simple and profound point is that a distinctive contribution by Museveni to political culture in Uganda is the systematic use of fear as a means of governance. For this matter, it might be fair to say that Museveni's modus operandi is not fundamentally different from those of the mafias who extort whimsically from their victims or from the manner in which totalitarian systems control their citizens.
A fundamental point I am making here is that when the twin phenomena of fear and insecurity — whether engendered by natural disaster or human agency — take hold of people, they oftentimes paralyze and make it difficult for people to engage rationally and affirmatively to overcome the maladies. Similarly in politics, when insecurity and fear are used as means of governance, rulers become deaf to the voice of reason and unresponsive to democratic aspirations of citizens.
To stay in power, such rulers either surround themselves with sycophants who are keen to echo their own voices or suppress those who dissent and challenge their modes of governance. For the most part, however, they infect people with various strains of insecurity and fear. This has been true of the ways all dictators have operated; and it has certainly been borne out by the manner in which Museveni has ruled Uganda.
The choice for people confronted with the rule of fear is either to purchase survival at a heavy discount to their dignity and self-worth or marshal courage to challenge the pathologies of insecurity and fear. The formula has been with humanity since time immemorial. In fact, arguably two of the greatest historical figures from different political hues, Karl Marx and Franklin D. Roosevelt, both urged their followers to throw off the yoke of fear, as prerequisite to meaningful engagement in democratic processes.
The formula from Marx's perspective and in the context of Europe in 1848 is captured in his clarion call that "Workers of the world unite; you have nothing to lose but your chains." About a century later, Roosevelt crystallized the formula in his first inaugural address in 1933 when he proclaimed that "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself."
In a way, then, the Ebola pandemics that have twice within a decade bred fear in Ugandans can be taken as both apt metaphors for, and analogous to, the ways Museveni's regime has operated in the past quarter century. Like the Ebola that has the potential to destroy whole communities through contagion and can cripple people with fear, Musveni has over the years fragmented the country by creating conditions of insecurity and injecting fear in a cross-section of the population.
As Ugandans in particular and African people in general grapple with how to meaningfully confront the various maladies that undermine their capacities to engage robustly in self-sustaining activities for their welfare, there are two ingredients that should constitute effective antidote to the viral operation of political systems in the continent. These are vigilance and fortification against the onset of fear.
Black Star News columnist Professor Amii Omara-Otunnu is UNESCO Chair in Human Rights, Executive-Director of the UConn-ANC Partnership and Professor of History at the University of Connecticut, Storrs. His column appears bi-weekly online and in the newspaper.
To comment or to subscribe to or advertise in New York's leading Pan African weekly investigative newspaper, or to send us a news tip, please call (212) 481-7745 or send a note to
Also visit out sister publications Harlem Business News www.harlembusinessnews.com and The Groove music magazine at www.thegroovemag.com
"Speaking Truth To Empower."
I think you have "Filtered HTML" turned on here. If you switch to "Full HTML," it will probably...
Black Star News has been producing stellar investigative journalism since 1997, including focusing on police brutality and other abuses targeting marginalized communities. We have broken several major stories. We welcome news tips to firstname.lastname@example.com and email@example.com
We need your advertising support to produce strong journalism, especially during periods of economic instability, so please contact email@example.com for advertising rates and long term packages.
Black Star News has been producing stellar investigative journalism since 1997, including focusing on police brutality and other abuses targeting marginalized communities. We have broken several major stories. We welcome news tips to firstname.lastname@example.com and firstname.lastname@example.com
We need your advertising support to produce strong journalism, especially during periods of economic instability, so please contact email@example.com for advertising rates and long term packages.
All content is copyright Black Star News © 2011. All rights reserved.


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Click here for complete, up-to-date 2014-15 schedule/results
Click here to view 2011-12 schedule/results
Click here to view 2012-13 schedule/results
Click here to view 2013-14 schedule/results
Dates, times and locations subject to change. Follow the Dynamo Academy U-18 team in USSF Development Academy league play.
General Information:
- Regular training sessions will be held at the Houston Sports Park
- Academy philosophies and curriculum will be endorsed by the Dynamo head coach
- Participation will not affect college eligibility
- Highly successful players will have the opportunity to train with the Dynamo first team
- Team will train up to five days per week
- Team will compete at the highest levels in local, regional, national, and international matches
- Academy players will be featured in the Dynamo gameday program and website


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Watch Dogs and Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag are both being developed for Microsoft's unannounced next-gen Xbox, a pair of Ubisoft employees appear to have confirmed.
The games are listed on the LinkedIn profiles of Ubisoft gameplay programmer Paolo Maninetti and marketing artist Phil Brolles, who state between them that both games are headed to "X720".
Brolles' profile states that Watch Dogs is "work in progress for next generation consoles", specifically referencing "PS4/X720", while Maninetti says that AC4 is heading to "PC, PS3, X360, PS4, X720, [and] WiiU".
The news that Watch Dogs and Assassin's Creed 4 are heading to Microsoft's next-gen Xbox isn't exactly a surprise - Ubisoft has previously announced that the two games are headed to "next-generation platforms", including PlayStation 4.
But given Microsoft's secrecy over its next-generation console, it's surprising to see two Ubisoft employees listing the console on their online CVs.
The news follows a similar blunder from Microsoft employee Eusebius Lai earlier this week, who posted on his LinkedIn that he was working on "cool new features" for the "next Xbox".
Depending on who you believe, Microsoft is expected to announce its next-gen Xbox at the end of il_26_says_source.html">this month or next.
Ubisoft gave VideoGamer.com a "no comment" when contacted this afternoon.
Source: LinkedIn


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I don't know about anyone else, but I can't see any content on this page, in either Chrome, Firefox, or Internet Explorer. :(
Sadly, I must ditto.
Sadly, I must ditto.
Aaaaand feel free to delete dittoed ditto if such an operation is possible, since I appear to have the world's most insanely sensitive touchpad.
No need to delete it! I can just ditto your dittoed ditto! :)
Yup, nothing.
Yay Davy! Please please please please have one of these for Matthieu. I will explode from side burn-induced happiness. <3
Welcome back!!!! Get them going!!! Good that you are back!!!!
I gasped so loudly when I noticed that this comic updated.
I literally check it every day and I have since June started.
So, SO glad you're back!!
Can't wait for more!
ERMEHGERD. *spazzes*
Great to see updates here again!
Whoot! Updates. XD Looking forward to this.
So thrilled to see that you guys are back!
This cover is just positive stuff for me: I'm a percussionist and a roleplayer – so I love drums and swords!
Also, I like the fact that the illustration doesn't have any contours. ;)
Posting my support of your triumphant return.
Yes! I'm sure it was worth the wait – welcome back!!
Aaah, why am I seeing this only now! On the other hand – yay, a whole background story in one delightful readthrough! :-)
I just forgot that the feed doesn't work in Opera (any chance that will change by the way?) … Good I checked manually now – I was missing my favourite webcomic so much, and I'm so glad you're back!
YOU GUYS ARE BACK!!!!! I'm so excited. I can move you back up to the top of my bookmarks bar now. :)


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MP3 File | Subscribe via iTunes | Add to del.icio.us | Transcript
Alex Counts founded the Grameen Foundation in 1997 with $6,000 in seed capital and has grown the organization to a global network of 52 microfinance partners in 22 countries.
Counts trained under this year's Nobel Peace Prize recipient Dr. Muhammad Yunus, the founder of the Grameen Bank, who provided the seed funding for the Grameen Foundation to play the role of catalyst, channeling human, financial and technological resources in the United States to support the growth of the poverty-focused microfinance movement.
In this podcast Counts discusses the on-going innovation in microfinance, key leadership challenges, and Grameen's expansion strategy. Counts answers questions from Julio and Min Li – iinnovate's newest member – as well as questions from listeners such as Jessica Flannery from Kiva.
This podcast also marks iinnovate's first foray into video. Check out the clip below to hear Alex describing innovations in microfinance (special thanks to Irit Epelbaum for the videography)
Check out additional video content from this interview:
- What is microfinance (clip)
- Under what circumstances does microfinance work (clip)
- Microfinance as a 'platform' (clip)
- Impact of technology on microfinance (clip)
- Grameen Foundation's Expansion Strategy (clip)
- Why is Africa underserved by microfinance (clip)


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Gal, we've got all the styles to up your neon game. If you haven't got the memo, fluorescent colours have taken over, with everything from neon festival styles to everyday neon oversized sweaters, right through to neon dresses and tops, you're sure to find a piece that will cause a scene on the 'Gram - c'mon add some neon!
There are no products matching the selection.


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CFP: [General] Border States: Mental, Political, and Textual Landscapes
Border States
Mental, Political, and Textual Landscapes
12th Annual Work-in-Progress postgraduate conference
8â€"10 August 2008
English, Media Studies and Art History, University of Queensland
Keynotes: Professor Simon During, Johns Hopkins University; and Professor
Gordon McMullan, King's College London
Deadline: 16 July 2008
Website: www.emsah.uq.edu.au/wip2008
Convenors: Philipa Haly-Summerfield and Mary Trabucco
Email: wipconf_at_uq.edu.au
"the passage is a city, a world in miniature†(Benjamin The Arcades Project)
Borders define the imaginative territories of the mind, the nation state
and the cultural text at the very moment that they reveal their porosity.
The figure of the border suggests a world of related metaphors with which
literature and other arts approach the boundaries of texts, discourses and
disciplines. We encourage papers that freely interpret the border and the
figure of the border, including explorations of sovereignty, power, self
and other. Proposals for papers might address the poetry and politics of
frontiers, watchtowers, border conflict, and encounters with the foreign;
or thresholds, the "rough edges†of maps, "cartographic silence†and No
Man's Land. We also encourage explorations of "invisible geographiesâ€, of
the concealed and the spectral â€" explorations, that is, of that which
haunts us without "yet manifest[ing] itself on the visible surface of the
earth†(Gregory and Pred, Violent Geographies).
We invite abstracts (up to 300 words) from across the arts and humanities
for 15-20 minute papers. Themes to consider include:
• National borders
• Interventions
• Border transgressions and incursions
• Physical and figurative Australian borders
• The ethics of self and other
• Psychological borders
• Hosts and parasites
• Cooperation across borders
• Psychoanalytic topographies
• Past and present
• Living and dying
• Memory and haunting
• Topography and landscape
• The figure of the border within poetry
• The global reach of modern technologies
• Textual borders
• Sovereignty
• Territory
• Centre and periphery
• "Vanishing pointsâ€: exceptions to state power
• Outside borders: formlessness, amorphousness, the void
• A critique of state-centred ideologies from the border
• Transnational texts
• Domestic space
• Border pedagogy
From the Literary Calls for Papers Mailing List
more information at
Received on Mon Apr 07 2008 - 18:28:39 EDT


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Donations down: Tsunami hurts local charities
When the extent of the death and destruction wrought by the December 26 tsunami in the Indian Ocean became apparent, Americans began to give... and give... and give. Former presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton joined together in an unlikely fundraising alliance, and national nonprofits' coffers filled to overflowing, with the American Red Cross garnering pledges for $228 million in less than a month. Here in Charlottesville, tsunami benefits were held across the area from Crozet to Stanardsville.
But while the powerful outpouring of concern for sufferers on the other side of the globe is heartwarming, for local charities, post-tsunami generosity may not be such good news.
"Our campaign is a little bit off-pace," says Jim Fitzgerald of the United Way Thomas Jefferson Area, a nonprofit that funds programs assisting at-risk children, the elderly, AIDS sufferers, and the mentally retarded. Though United Way of America does do international relief work, the two groups are not affiliated and therefore do not share funds.
"What I try to communicate," Fitzgerald explains, "is that when you give to our organization, you're giving locally."
David Starmer, president of the Charlottesville Albemarle Rescue Squad, also noticed a donation dip just after the tsunami. The Squad, which receives no direct public funding and relies entirely on donations to operate, was in the middle of its annual drive, making the situation particularly serious.
Starmer says he put out a "direct appeal" for donations in early January, but the all-volunteer rescue squad, which answered 12,000 emergency calls last year, still needs to raise about $100,000 before the end of January in order to fund operations in 2005.
Other charities say it's too soon to know how the tsunami might have affected their annual fundraising.
"We do most of our fundraising in the fall, so it's hard to say what the long term impact will be," says Ruth Stone, executive director of Piedmont CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), a group that advocates for underprivileged children in the court system.
In addition, says Stone, the timing of the tsunami– just before the end of the year– makes it hard to separate several variables that could contribute to decreased giving.
"Many people make donations before the end of the tax year," says Stone. "January tends to be a pretty low receipt month." And then there was the presidential election in November, which Stone believes may have influenced some people's decision to donate– or not.
"It depends on whether people are feeling positive or negative about their future," she says.
All of the charities the Hook spoke with expressed support for the work going on abroad, but all hope they will be able to continue their local missions successfully.
"That's the sticky part," says United Way's Fitzgerald. "It's a challenge because you want to see everyone get the relief they need, and that includes folks right here in our community."
The Lafayette Hotel in Stanardsville was the location of the first 'Mission Tsunami' benefit event, held to raise money for the Indian Ocean tsunami survivors.


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Strong-arm robber snatches woman's purse in Annapolis
Anne Arundel County police looking for man
Anne Arundel County police said they are looking for a strong-armed robber.
Officers were called to the Annapolis Harbour Center in the 2500 block of Solomons Island Road in Annapolis for a report of a strong-arm robbery around 7:45 p.m. Thursday.
An 18-year-old woman told police she was walking along the footbridge near the fountain when the suspect grabbed her purse and a struggle ensued.
Authorities said a man was able to overpower the victim, grab her purse and flee on foot toward the shopping center entrance at Solomons Island Road.
Police said a detailed search of the area was conducted with numerous ground units, DDU and a K-9 unit, but the man was not located. The victim was not injured in the incident.
Police described the man as white 5 feet 10 inches, about 18-20 years old, blonde, spiked hair, a dark red hoodie and jeans.


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The superheroes that make up the battling members of Injustice: Gods Among Us was today revealed by Entertainment Weekly to grow by one new hero.
In the gameplay trailer over at EW, you can see Green Arrow use his arrows and bow to shoot and slap around his opponents. Oliver Queen's trademark trash-talk is in there, along with a bunch of trick arrows that explode and freeze opponents. The fighting game will be released on Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii U next year.
Green Arrow shooting into superhero fighting game 'Injustice: Gods Among Us' — EXCLUSIVE FIRST LOOK [Entertainment Weekly]


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Slim The Mobster (Dr. Dre's New Protege) - Falling Star
New track 'Falling Star' from Slim The Mobster ( Dr. Dre's new protege) off his War Music mixtape dropping tomorrow (November 9th)
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One thing I love about the long school breaks in November and December is seeing my kids do a lot of reading just for the pleasure of it. When the weather is cold and wet, there's nothing better than curling up with a cozy blanket and diving into a good story.
Good stories for tweens has especially been on our minds, because Oscar has been asking for recommendations. So I polled my older kids and we came up with a list of 8 book series for tweens. We focused on series instead of individual stories, so that if he loves the first one, he can continue the adventure in book after book.
1) Harry Potter. Yes, Oscar has already read them, but re-reading them at 11 is the best. Harry is 11 and Oscar is 11 and it's delightful to go through the adventures and really be able to relate to the social stuff and school stuff Harry is dealing with. Seven books in the main series, and then others in the Harry Potter world.
2) Series of Unfortunate Events. These books are funny and smart and somehow dark and heart-warming at the same time. Total vocabulary expanders and ridiculous in the best way. Thirteen books in the series.
3) The Mysterious Benedict Society. Three books in the series, and a new one with some back story.
4) Chronicles of Narnia. I read these as a kid and they are still just as good. The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe is the most famous one, but they're all excellent. Seven books in the series.
5) Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Sometimes silly and gross, but they do a really good job of capturing a bit of life in middle school. Fast reads with lots of comic relief. Eleven books in the series (and counting, I think).
6) The BoxCar Children. So wholesome it's a world your kids will hardly recognize, and each one showcasing ingenuity, resourcefulness, compassion and hard work. Nineteen books in the series written by the original author, and then dozens more by subsequent authors.
7) Percy Jackson. I'll be honest, my kids love this series way more than I do. It really seemed to capture their imaginations at 10, 11 and 12. But I kept wanting it to be as good as Harry Potter, and it wasn't. Happily, the kids never seemed to notice until they were older. So a good series for tweens. Five books in the Olympians series, and then others in the Percy Jackson world
8) The Roald Dahl books. This is not a series, but they sit on our book shelves as if they are a series, and they certainly all have a wonderful sort of magic in them. You can even buy several of them as a collection. You'll recognize the titles like Matilda, Charlie & the Chocolate Factory, The BFG, Fantastic Mr. Fox, James and the Giant Peach, and on and on. Again, not a series, but there are about 15 children's books from Mr. Dahl that I know of.
If you add it all up, that's 80 books or so! Plenty to keep even voracious readers happy. Now it's your turn: what would you add to this list? What are the favorite book series for tweens at your house?


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Following up the recent re-release of the original white/neon yellow colorway Reebok has once again teamed up with one of the most succesful dunkers in NBA history Dominique Wilkins to release 3 additional colourways. The pack includes Dominique's original in-game colorway (white/red/grey), his Slam Dunk Championship colorway (grey/red/silver) and his amateur days colorway (black/white/red). The shoes will drop on Christmas Eve at select retailers, including Foot Locker, Finish Line, Footaction, Shoe Palace, Jimmy Jazz, City Gear, Shoe City, Villa, and online at Reebok.com for $120.
GETDipped: Reebok "Pump Twilight Zone" Christmas Eve Release
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bjarke ingels group unveils floating city concept made up of hexagonal islands
a diverse digital database that acts as a valuable guide in gaining insight and information about a product directly from the manufacturer, and serves as a rich reference point in developing a project or scheme.
triangular prisms are excavated, creating courtyards that bring variety, daylight, ventilation, and nature inside the building.
the project aims to address the need for affordable and remote working spaces that has emerged since the COVID-19 outbreak.
the compact dwelling features raw concrete walls, floors, and ceilings, complemented by a steel chimney and window frames.
the rich geometries camouflage into the natural context and frame views to conceptually recall traditional chinese gardens.
connections: +1110


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Taiwan-based manufacturers shipped a total of 30.42 million LCD monitors in the first quarter of 2011, down 3.7% sequentially, according to latest data collected by Digitimes Research.
While the contraction rate for the first-quarter monitor shipments suffered by Korea makers was higher than that of Taiwan vendors', the ratio of shipments from Taiwan makers to global monitor shipments dropped 0.1 percentage point to 69.9% in the first quarter due to increased shipments from China and other emerging countries, the Digitimes Research data show.
First-quarter monitor shipments from Taiwan makers still represented an increase of 3.8% from a year earlier, indicating the industry remained healthy. Additionally, the impact of the March 11 Japan earthquake on global monitor shipments was limited, as evidenced by over 30-40% sequential shipment growth rates recorded by Taiwan makers in March.
Source: Digitimes Research, April 2011


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MIDDLETON — On Wednesday, Jan. 16, the power point presentation about Governor Wentworth and the education they provide for grades 7 through 12 was well received, notwithstanding some comments from residents who would prefer to see a new AREA Agreement worked out with Farmington. Those opinions were amicably discussed, including the information that suggestions have been made that a similar presentation be made for Farmington and any other schools being investigated. Other issues of concern are the transportation of students and whether students near graduation would be given the option to graduate from Farmington if another school becomes the one approved by the voters.
Regardless of their affiliation, everyone present joined in applauding Ken Garry and the School Board for their continued and determined efforts to provide information and answer residents' concerns. For those residents who missed that presentation, another is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 26 from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. in the Town Hall. The information will include topics on GWR's Vision, Academic Programs, Clubs and Organizations, Facilities, Technology Center, Sports and Colleges attended by GWRSD grads.
The next evening, Thursday, Jan. 17, AREA Agreement meetings resumed, this one in Farmington. Although they hadn't met since before Christmas, everyone seemed to be well prepared to pick up right where they left off. Farmington representatives reported that their Board is agreeable to a 10-year agreement instead of 20 years. Considerable time was expended discussing the issue of accreditation and its relative importance. To be further investigated is the question of whether or not students will be granted permission to attend another school of choice, what circumstances would support such permission, and who would be responsible for the inherent costs. The next AREA Agreement meeting will be in Middleton at the Town Hall on Thursday, Feb. 21 at 6 p.m. While there has been considerable improvement in the SAU 61.org website, there is still a bit of a lag time in posting minutes for board meetings and AREA Agreement minutes. Of course, to be truly current, the best option is to attend meetings. Consider carpooling and co-op babysitting to make it more convenient. A working draft copy of the AREA Agreement is available, however with the caveat that it is a draft and constantly under revision and subject to changes and corrections.
The School Board continues to strive to provide residents with information on their labors. To do that, new links have been added to the Middleton town website. There is now a School District tab which links to School Board minutes and to a 'Frequently Asked Questions' page. The "Send Us Comments" option is also available to send them questions, comments or suggestions.
Saturday, Feb. 2 is the Deliberative Session to discuss and amend if required the 2013-2014 the School District Budget and Warrant articles. It will begin at 9 a.m. in the Town Hall. Cancellation due to weather will result in rescheduling another meeting to be held within 72 hours as determined by the Moderator. The Public Hearing for the School Budget was Monday, Jan. 14, followed immediately by the Budget Committee regular meeting for determining their recommended budget. Voting by residents on the ballot, budget and warrant articles will be Tuesday, March 12 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Town Hall.
Residents wishing to file declarations of candidacy for office will have until Friday, Feb. 1. The Town office will be open that Friday from 3 to 5 p.m. Positions to be placed on the ballot are as follows: Selectman, one seat for three years; Trustees, one seat for 3 year term; Budget Committee, one seat for a 3 year term; Cemetery Trustees, one seat each for one year, 2 year and 3 year terms; School Board Member, two seats for 3 year terms each; School District Clerk, one seat for 1 year term; District Treasurer, one seat for 1 year term; District Moderator, one seat for 1 year term; Supervisor of the Check list, one seat for a 6-year term.
Several interesting items were covered at the last Selectmen's meeting. Kat Pollard, President of the newly founded Middleton Food Pantry, along with Pastor Cliff McMullen requested approval to use the Town Hall 'vault' for storage space. The Selectmen gave provisional approval to look into it, noting that John Mullen and Cheryl Kimball confirmed that it is now confirmed that the Town has received a grant to do an assessment of the Old Town Hall. The report will cover such issues as recommended stabilization of the structure, regaining use of the second floor, and preservation of the Town Hall as a historic landmark. While the Food Pantry is not yet operational, anyone with questions or a desire to volunteer any kind of assistance should contact Kat at (603) 539-2588. Jon Hotchkiss reported that the Town's Hazard Mitigation Plan has been received and is on file at the Municipal Office.
Cold weather (or homework) probably kept everyone at home last Saturday, so the breath-taking adventures of Bomba the Jungle Boy will hold until next Saturday, Jan. 26 at 11 a.m. Slitherin' snakes, see you there!
The Police Blog (Middletonnhpolice.blogspot.com) posted 1/19 has some sobering statistics on how crime has increased in our own backyards. An effort will be made to more closely match the dates of the Police Log to the reports on the BlogSpot. Additionally, from the Police Department comes a warning (in spite of the frigid nights) to keep your cars locked to prevent theft.
Police Log
Dec. 31 — VIN verification; Pinkham Road.
Dec. 31 — Disobeying an officer; Route 153.
Jan. 2 — Issuing bad checks; Kings Highway.
Jan. 2 — Medical assist; New Durham Road.
Jan. 3 — Suspicious person/MV/activity; Drew Drive.
Jan. 3 — Mutual aid; Route 11, Farmington.
Jan. 3 — Runaway juvenile; Dudley Drive.
Jan. 5 — Missing person/Mutual aid; White Mountain Highway, South Milton.
Jan. 5 — Vehicle off road, no damage; Governors Road.
Jan. 5 — Suspicious person/MV/activity; Nicola Road.
Jan. 5 — Department assist; Wakefield Street, Rochester.
Jan. 7 —Paperwork service; Kings Highway.
Jan. 7 — Medical assist; New Portsmouth Road.
Jan. 7 — Mutual aid; white Mountain Highway, North Milton.


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Bletchley Park, STATION X - SPECIAL PRICE - Wed 27th Feb 2019
- Varaktighet: 1 Dagar
- Produktkod: PRAHZD
Once Britain's Best Kept Secret, today Bletchley Park, Home of the Codebreakers, is a heritage site and vibrant tourist attraction. Visitors can explore and experience the top secret world of iconic WW2 Codebreaking Huts and Blocks set within the atmospheric Victorian estate nestled in the Buckinghamshire countryside. Discover the secret world! A day at Bletchley Park now includes an exciting, complimentary new multimedia guide in order to explore the site at your own pace and in your own time. Exhibitions include The Life and Works of Alan Turing, the only reconstructed Bombe machine and the largest number of Enigma machines on public display in the world. Tasty hot and cold menu available in the Hut 4 Café.
Price includes entrance.
Dropping off point – Bletchley Park
Arrival time – 12.00pm approx.
Departure time - 4.00pm approx. (TBC by driver on day)
Return to the local area – 7.30 to 8.30pm approx
Images courtesy/copyright – ShaunArmstrong/mubsta.com


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Woman injured in North Side stairwell collapse
Victim suffers leg injuries
A woman suffered serious leg injuries Thursday in a stairwell collapse in Pittsburgh.
Authorities said Annette Wade was taken to Allegheny General Hospital for treatment after her legs were pinned in the collapse.
Investigators said the collapse happened at Allegheny Commons East on the North Side.
Rescuers said Wade was walking up the stairwell when it suddenly dropped.
"That's very scary, because I'm a heavy girl, and I don't want to fall down those steps either," resident Lezley Hough said.
Wade's friends and neighbors rushed to her aid and called 911 for help while trying to hold up the collapsed stairs until help could arrive.
EMS District Chief Stephen Carlson said the rescue wasn't easy because her legs were stuck between two stairs.
Officials said it took about 30 minutes to free Wade.
Carlson said rust on the stairs indicated the age of them, and bolts were no longer connected to a brick wall.
Residents at the complex said it's proof upgrades are needed.
"When I walk up the steps, I noticed the steps were loose, but who's going to listen to a kid like me?" a resident asked.
Managers at the apartment complex declined to comment on the collapse or residents' concerns, but they said they may be willing to comment Friday.
Wade is expected to survive.